A fast close, or a short contract period, is often used as a negotiating tactic to show that as a buyer you're serious about this purchase and that you have your finances in order. But how fast can you really close? In this video let's explore the most common closing timelines and when each is...Read More

We often talk about "locking the loan" or "locking your rate" but what does that really mean? The simplest explanation is that "locking your rate" secures a chosen interest rate for your mortgage, at a specific cost for a set amount of time. The reality is that its an agreement between the end investor of...Read More

If you've got income showing up on multiple schedules of your tax return THIS is the video for you. Here Ruby discusses how a mortgage lender views dividend and interest income (1040 Schedule B), Capital Gains income (Schedule D) Temporary Leave, Trust Income, and Royalties...Read More

If you are looking to buy a new property and you already own property, either as a primary residence or a current investment property you're likely wondering if you can use rental income, or potential rental income, to qualify for your purchase. Here Ruby discusses the most likely circumstances in which rental income can be...Read More

We've talked about W2 income and Self-employment types and this week we throw off the shackles of work and talk about qualifying income during the retirement years.Read More

Income from self-employment often has the widest margin between what a person actually takes home and what can be used for qualifying for a mortgage. While this video won't get into the nitty-gritty of actual calculations Ruby does go over how a lender is going to evaluate the income and what documentation will generally be...Read More

The order in which you things when buying a home can really impact whether you are able to look back on your experience as a low-stress success. So let's talk about what to do BEFORE you find your dream home (and the order that you should do it in).Read More

Last week we looked at the basics of W2 income; fixed and variable, salary, hourly, seasonal, and contract employment. This week we're diving into the funky stuff... This is anything outside of your base pay, so overtime and shift differentials, tips and commission, and bonus income - both cash bonuses and restricted stock unit awards.Read More

Let's talk about impounds. Also called an escrow account or tax and insurance reserves (reserve account) this is the portion of your mortgage payment that pays your property taxes and homeowner's insurance premium when they are due. In most cases, the lender collects these as a part of your payment and pays them on your...Read More

From the time you apply until the time you close on your new home, you're going to be asked for documentation. That feels like a lot, and it can be. This week let's break all that down into bite-sized chunks and talk about the different milestones and reasons for documentation.Read More